2020 – A Year in Review: Pt 3

We conclude our review of the hell that has been 2020, focussing on the autumn and winter months. Although we have largely omitted our coverage of both Stonehenge and metal detecting issues from this review, both featured larger than usual in this latter part of the year .

Through September and October, with the easing of lockdown, commercial metal detecting rallies once more reared their ugly heads across our landscape. However, with COVID still rampant, some communities were concerned about the prospect of rallies being held in their area. 

Many of these rallies were held on a commercial basis, with detectorists paying to detect, and the consequences of the pandemic  be damned! Thankfully, some were banned by the authorities, but that didn’t stop the organisers from putting together alternatives at very short notice, an indication of their priorities: money over public health. A petition was even raised to object to the banning of such events during lockdown2!

In November we reported the news that everyone had dreaded:

The Stonehenge Alliance team WON the argument against the combined forces of English Heritage, Historic England, and the National Trust so that the Planning Authority recommended permission should be refused. What happened was that the Minister, Grant Shapps said he would grant permission anyway! So was it a “decision” or a pre-planned Government agenda? There seems little doubt.

…but at the end of the month an appeal was launched to appeal the decision through the courts.

And so we come to December, and  a tale of wanton damage at Stoney Littleton. And speaking of damage, we began to give examples of the type of damage to be inflicted upon the Stonehenge landscape.

Which, apart from fighting the propaganda being espoused in the national press, brings us pretty much up to date. 

Keep reading in the new year for more items about our ancient sites, some of their history, and the threats posed against them.

On the fifth day of Christmas…

…My true love gave to me:

Five Gold Rings

The Yellowmead complex on Dartmoor consists of four concentric stone circles, surrounding a no longer visible burial cairn, making a total of five rings. There is also a multiple stone row feature leading away from the circles.